Enormous Robot Can Maintain Train Lines
West Japan Railway has introduced a new humanoid robot designed for maintenance tasks such as painting and gardening. The robot, which features large arms and a small head with coke-bottle eyes, is mounted on a truck that can drive on rails. It is operated remotely by a person in a cockpit, who sees through the robot’s cameras.
With a reach of 12 meters and the ability to carry objects up to 40kg, the robot will initially trim tree branches and paint metal frames above trains. This innovation aims to address worker shortages and reduce accidents in Japan’s aging workforce. The company plans to expand the robot’s use to other maintenance operations in the future.